E.  A.  Hortcn 


An  Historical  Address 
commemorating  the 
semi-centennial  anniversary 

of  the 
dedicption  of  the 
jlst  Congregational  Meeting- 
house in  Leominster. 


L5F5- 

H& 


SI 


AN  HISTO^iiL  ADDRESS. 


COMMEMORATING 


THE 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  ANNIVERSARY, 


OF    THE 


DEDICATION    OIF  THE 

1st  Congregational  Meeting-House, 

IN     LEOMINSTER. 
DELIVERED  WEDNESDAY,    OCTOBER    15th,    1873, 


BY 


E.  A.  HO  ETON, 

Pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  (Unitarian)  Society. 


PUBLISHED  BY  VOTE  OF  THE  PARISH, 


"ENTERPRISE   OFFICE,"  LEOMINSTER,  MASS. 
1874. 


t 


AN  HISTORICAL  ADDRESS. 

COMMEMORATING 

THE 

SEMI-CENTENNIAL  ANNIVERSARY, 

OF    THE 

TOEZDICAJriOIN"    OIF  THE 

1st  Congregational  Meeting-House, 

IN    LEOMINSTER. 
DELIVERED  WEDNESDAY,    OCTOBER   15th,    1873, 

BY 

E.  A.  H  OR  TON 

Pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  (Unitarian)  Society. 

i 

PUBLISHED  BY  VOTE  OF  THE  PARISH. 


"ENTERPRISE   OFFICE,"  LEOMINSTER,  MASS. 
1874. 


To  the  Reader. 


Appended  to  the  main  address  are  notes  which  pro- 
vide the  details  of  some  transactions  necessarily  treated 
with  brevity  in  the  historical  sketch.  They  are  referred 
to  by  numbers  in  the  text.  Some  portions  omitted  in  the 
delivery  of  the  address  are  now  inserted.  The  work  of 
preparing  this  brief  record  of  a  part  of  our  religious  past 
has  been  a  labor  of  love.  1  offer  it  to  my  parishioner* 
as  an  affectionate  though  slight  expression  of  my  interest 
in  all  things  which  pertain  to  them  as  individuals,  or  as 
a  society.  It  loas  written  at  their  request,  and  now  ap- 
pears  in   this  form   by   their   wish. 

E.   A.   H. 


ADDRESS." 


We  arc  met  to  commemorate  an  event  of  no  slight 
importance, 

By  nature  man  loves  ancestral  spots  and  historic 
scenes ;  he  loves  them  though  remote  personages  and 
indistinct  deeds  have  contributed  to  their  fame.  How 
much  warmer  is  his  regard,  then,  for  that  which  has 
been  identified  with  his  fathers,  now  asleep,  and  bound 
up    with   their   declining   and    his    opening   course. 

Time  dims  much  to  the  heart,  and  quenches  the  light 
of  many  memories,  but  I  have  yet  to  find  that  person 
who  lost,  in  advancing  years,  his  esteem  for  the  old 
sanctuary  wherein  worship  first  educated  him  ;  or  who 
never  desired  again,  when  youth  was  past,  to  visit  the 
sanctuary  of  his  fathers.  No !  peculiar  and  tenacious  is 
that  tie.  Those  whose  eyes  have  in  manhood's  prime 
beheld  massive  cathedrals,  whose  feet  have  later  trod  the 
aisles  of  gorgeous  mosques,  maintained  uuweakened  firm 
allegiance  to  the  homely  aisles,  the  unpretending  walls, 
of  some  modest  church,  nestled  in  a  New  England  valley. 
For     its     associations    and     import    no     dazzling    tabernacle 


6 

« 
could    compensate.       Time's    hand    has    rolled    the    years    in 

swift  succession,  since  this  meeting-house  first  echoed 
■with  praise  and  prayer.  A  little  more  than  half  a  cen- 
tury ago  the  timbers  of  this  building  rose,  sprung  to  their 
places  by  stalwart  men.  Fifty  years  ago,  this  day,  a 
happy  multitude  gathered  within  these  walls  to  dedicate 
them  to  the  worship  of  a  God  of  Love,  The  scene  how 
changed  !  Scarcely  any  feature  of  the  locality  remains 
the  same.  Nothing  indeed  but  the  self-same  sky,  starry 
and  sheltering.  The  ground  abides,  and  nature's  general 
aspects.  The  same  strong  beams  exist,  a  semblance  to  the 
original  framework  survives  in  the  structure.  Yes !  the 
same  bell  that  rang  fifty  years  ago,  calling  the  'town's 
people  together,  has  summoned  our  glad  steps.  Not  much 
more  numerous  are  the  links  abiding  among  the  present 
audience  and  that  collected  here  in  1823.  The  men  who 
toiled  to  make  this  goodly  house  have  gone.  Read  their 
names  on  tablets  in  yonder  resting-place.  Here  and  there 
among  you  are  those  who  were  young  men  and  young 
women,  boys  and  girls,  at  that  time.  The  actors  in  that 
scene  half  a  century  ago  have  vanished.  Why  do  I  re- 
call time's  innovations?  Surely  not  for  sadness.  To  bet- 
ter esteem  the  dead.  In  honoring  them  we  do  invest 
ourselves  with  honor.  They  have  their  reward.  We  can- 
not do  better  than  remember  that  they  labored  well  when 
living,  and  we,  to  be  worthy  of  their  spirit  and  deeds, 
must  ourselves  be  emulous  and  noble.  That  is  the  main 
lesson    of   this    evening    hour.      I    am    to    speak    to    you  this 


evening,  as  briefly  as  amy  be  consistent  with  the  subject, 
of  our  meeting-house.  Not  of  the  church  as  :i  body  of 
communicants,   not   of  the   parish   proper,   not   of  doctrine, 

not  of  the  birth  and  infancy  of  the  society;  our  exercises 
centre  around  the  existence  of  this  sanctuary  as  a  place 
of  divine    worship. 

Yet  it  may  be  well  to  quickly  trace  up  the  historic 
line,  of  which  this  is  the  continuation,  preceding  the 
erection  of  this  edifice.  In  doing  this  entire  work,  at 
your  committee's  request,  I  ask  you  to  walk  with  me  as 
one  goes  over  a  dusty  road,  relieved  now  and  then  by 
green  spots  of  shade  and  beauty.  We  are  to  deal  with 
statistics    and    unvarnished    truth. 

The  earliest  records  of  this  town,  that  we  possess, 
begin  in  1740 ;  on  the  first  pages  is  the  account  of  a 
meeting  held  by  the  scanty  inhabitants,  when  the  subject 
of  a  tk meeting-house"  was  agitated. &  On  Dec.  15,  1740, 
it  was  voted  to  build  said  meeting-house  50  feet  in  length, 
40  feet  in  width,  23  feet  in  hight.  These  dimensions 
were  afterwards  curtailed  by  a  succeeding  vote  at  another 
meeting,  and  economy  cut  live  feet  from  the  length,  five 
feet   from   the    breadth,    one    foot   from    the    hiirht. 

This  building  was  located  on  the  north-west  corner 
of  what  is  now  the  old  burying-ground.  A  rough,  un- 
painted,  windowless  structure,  with  no  pews  in  it  for 
many  years.  Town  meetings  were  held  there.  This 
house  the  inhabitants  of  Leominster  used  for  worship 
until    1775,    when    it    became     the     property    of    a    Baptist 


5 

society  id  Harvard,  who  took  it  to  pieces  and  recon- 
structed it  in  Still  River.  There  it  sheltered  a  congre- 
gation for  a  long  time.  In  18f>0  it  was  transformed 
into  a  parsonage,  and  remains  yet  a  useful  member  of 
society.  In  1773,  when  the  storm  of  the  revolution  was 
thundering  in  the  distance,  Leominster  voted  to  build  a 
larger  meeting-house.  An  acre  and  a  little  more  of  land 
was  bought  for  the  purpose,  situated  where  now  the  com- 
mon is,  of  Rufus  Houghton.  The  dimensions  of  this 
structure  wrere  sixty  feet  in  length  by  fifty  in  breadth. 
Its  portals  looked  toward  the  rising  sun.  Eighteen  square 
pews, — deep,  broad,  generous  pews, — filled  the  body  of 
the  church,  and  thirty  more  ranged  around  the  walls. 
Such  was  the  edifice  existing  in  1816.  It  was  sitwated 
on  the  spot  where  the  flag-staff  of  the  common  stands. 
No  fence  ran  around  the  spot.  Scarcely  any  houses  existed 
in  the  neighborhood.  A  modest  building,  it  was  desis:- 
nated    when   completed    as   an    elegant    meeting-house. 

Usages  peculiar  to  the  ancient  time  prevailed  in  its 
service, — the  lining  of  hymns,  the  rising  at  prayers,  and 
clapping  of  the  seats,  —  the  deacons  in  their  wrigs  sat 
beneath  the  pulpit  on  a  bench  named  from  them, —  children 
rolled  on  the  floor,  hid  from  sight  by  the  towering 
pews,  —  aged  people  stole  naps  in  sermon  time,  en- 
couraged by  the  protecting  seats,  —  no  fire  broke  the 
wintry  chill,  —  the  black  man  had  his  place  assigned  in 
a  gallery  corner,  —  the  minister  preached  in  a  costume 
consisting   of     a     large     wig    and    high-topped    boots,     and 


9 

above  his  head  was  a  large  sounding-board.  Here  and 
there  watchful  guardians  of  order  moved  about  the  con- 
gregation checking  mirth,  and  subduing  noise.  No  bell 
pealed  the  Sunday  call;  no  clock  told  the  swift  hours. 
Let  us  see.  whose  voices  had  spoken  from  the  pulpit  up 
to    that   time. 

The  Rev.  John  Rogers,  the  iirst  minister  of  this 
society,  was  then  dead.  His  embittered  career  ended. 
A  character  of  no  little  originality,  —  with  "an  inquisitive 
spirit,"  said  Dr.  Bancroft  of  him, — honest  and  blunt,  he 
is  pictured  to  us  as  a  man  who  suffered  as  those  suffer 
who  are  placed  by  circumstances  in  a  crisis,  and  map 
out  new  courses.  He  was  cast  out.  He  was  ordained 
and  installed  Sept.  14th,  1743,  (O.  S.)(3)  Mr.  Kogers 
died   Oct.    6,   1789,    aged    78   years. 

Succeeding  Mr.  Rogers  came  Rev.  Francis  Gardner, 
who  enjoyed  a  long,  calm  pastorate  of  useful  labor.  He 
was  a  scholar,  sought  most  the  enforcement  of  plain, 
Christian  truth,  and  irave  but  little  attention  to  innovating 
ideas.  His  ordination  and  installation  occurred  Dec.  22, 
17G2.W  Mr.  Gardner  died  suddenly  June  2,  1814, 
aged  7i)  vears.  He  was  lamented  bv  all;  at  his  funeral, 
as  an  eye  witness  informs  me,  the  procession  extended 
from  the  parsonage,  standing  where  now  the  Salisbury 
house  is,  to  the  church,  six  deep,  every  one  walking  in 
close   ranks. 

We    are     thus    brought     down    to    the    Rev.    William 

Bascom,    whose     settlement    took   place    Ma}'    10th,    1815. (:>) 

c 


10 

It  was  during  Mr.  Bascom's  stormy  pastorate,  in  May 
1816,  when  a  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose, 
reported  to  the  town  on  the  advisability  of  altering  and 
enlarging  the  old  meeting-house.  Mr.  Bascom  was  a  man 
of  progress,  a  liberal  mind.  He  did  not  please  all.  His 
sermons  were  characterized  as  weak,  his  prayers  able. 
He  withdrew  from  his  position  in  1820,  and  died  in  1845. 
I  have  thus  brought  you  down  to  the  time  embracing 
the  preliminaries  attending  the  building  of  this  sanctuary. 
I  will  quote  the  words  of  the  committee,  to  Avhom  was 
referred  the  subject  of  a  new  house  of  worship.  ''Com- 
paring" they  say,  "the  great  and  increasing  number  of 
the  inhabitants  with  the  comparitive  small  size  of  the 
Meeting-House,  and  that  although  a  large  proportion  of 
the  people  are  well  accommodated  with  seats,  yet  your 
committee  view  with  regret  that  from  want  of  sufficient 
room,  there  are  a  considerable  number  who  are  obliged 
to  pay  a  price  for  their  accommodations  far  beyond  what 
either  reason  or  former  example  would  justify,  whilst  an- 
other part  of  the  inhabitants  cannot  be  accommodated 
with  seats  at  any  price,  and  considering  that  those  two 
last  classes  of  citizens,  —  the  first  from  becoming  weary 
of  paying  an  exorbitant  price  for  their  seats,  and  the  other 
from  being  unable  to  procure  any,  —  may  be  induced  to 
abandon  the  place  of  public  worship  in  this  town  and  to 
seek  one  elsewhere,  where  they  may  be  accommodated  on 
reasonable  terms.  For  these  and  other  considerations, 
your   committee    are    unanimous    in    opinion    that    the    Meet- 


11 

rag-House,  in  its  present  state,  is  insufficient  for  the 
town.  Your  committee  tind  on  examination  that  the  frame 
of  the  Meeting-House  is  in  every  part  sound  and  good, 
and  is  capable  of  being  enlarged  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
be  a  handsome  and  convenient  house.  They  therefore 
recommend  that  the  present  Meeting-House  be  enlarged  to 
sixty  feet  by  seventy,  with  a  belfry  in  front,  which  your 
committee  believe  will  afford  ample  accommodations  for 
the  inhabitants. "  They  then  add,  "It  is  our  opinion 
that  if  the  town  see  tit  to  enlarge  the  present  Meeting- 
House,  it  would  be  better  to  remove  it  from  its  present 
situation,  as  an  enlargement  where  it  now  stands  would 
occupy  too  much  of  the  common  ground,  now  too  small." 
Two  locations  presented  themselves  favorably,  so  the 
report  continues,  which  I  must  abridge.  One  being  that 
owned  by  Capt.  Hale,  about  an  acre  of  land  filled  at 
this  day  by  Mr.  J.  (J.  Allen's  residence  and  store.  It 
was  purchasable  for  $200.  The  other  was  Jand  owned 
by  the  heirs  of  Metaphor  Chase,  being  that  territory  now 
occupied  by  this  house,  the  Town  Hall,  Baptist  Church, 
and  some  adjacent  ground,  then  tenanted  only  by  a  house 
once  used  as  an  inn,  and  some  stables.  Its  area  was 
two  acres  and  fifty  rods  ;  this  was  available  at  the  price  of 
$2000.  The  committee  warmly  urged  the  purchase  of  the 
second  lot  of  land.  Subdivisions  for  sale,  eligibility  of 
location,  disposal  of  buildings  then  on  it  for  good  prices, 
sheltered  site  in  winter,  —  these  inducements  the}r  pre- 
sented strongly  and  wound  up  with    this    glowing    sentence, 


12 

that  "  such  a  choice  would  add  greatly  to  the  beauty, 
elegance,  and  respectability  of  the  town."  Signed  by 
Abraham  Haskell,  Chairman.  This  report  was  recom- 
mitted with  instructions  to  consider  the  expediency  of 
building  a  new  Meeting-House  entirely,  and  six  individuals 
were   added   to    the    committee. 

In  August  1816,  this  land  was  purchased  of  the 
heirs  of  Metaphor  Chase,  at  the  price  of  $2000.  At  the 
meeting  of  May  5th,  1817,  another  report  was  submitted 
as  follows:  "It  is  unanimously  deemed  expedient  by  the 
committee  that  the  town  should  build  a  new  Meeting- 
House,  to  be  completed  for  public  worship  in  three  years 
from  that  time."  This  was  accepted  by  66  votes  for, 
and    32    against   it. 

Whether  brick  or  wood  should  be  employed  as  ma- 
terial in  the  construction  of  the  house  was  considered ; 
wood  was  chosen  for  its  cheapness.  The  building  com- 
mittee Avas  chosen  Dec/  24,  1821,  and  general  instructions 
given  to  them  by  the  town.  Their  names  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Solomon  Strong,  Jonas  Kendall,  Joel  Crosby,  Be- 
zaleel  Lawrence,  William  Barrage,  Rufus  Kendall,  Israel 
Nichols,  William  Carter,  Charles  Hills.  These  were 
elected  on  one  ballot.  By  a  succeeding  vote,  Abel  Carter 
and  John  Taylor  were  added.  Additional  committees  wen; 
afterwards  chosen  for  different  purpose ;  they  consisted  of 
Joseph  G.  Kendall,  William  Perry,  Levi  Nichols,  Abraham 
Haskell,  Jr.,  John  Buss,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Merriam  and 
David     Wilder.       The    final     vote    to    build    this    Meeting- 


13 

House  was  fifty-nine  to  forty-one,  and  then  by  rallying 
voters  the  list  stood  eighty-three  affirmative  and  forty- 
nine    negative. 

In  January,  1822,  the  appointed  committee  reported 
their  plan.  The  structure  was  to  be  75  feet  long,  ()2 
feet  wide,  and,  as  they  stated  it, — the  end  to  be  in 
front  —  the  pulpit  at  the  opposite  end;  10  feet  of  the 
front  to  be  made  into  a  porch ;  three  doors  from  porch 
into  interior.  Colonnade  32  feet  high,  above  it  a  belfry, 
above  the  belfry  a  spire ;  88  pews  were  to  fill  the  body 
of  the  house  and  48  the  galleries,  making  in  all  136. 
The  cost  really  exceeded  the  estimate  by  only  four  hun- 
dred  dollars. 

The  discussion  on  the  exact  location  of  the  building, 
how  it  should  stand  to  the  compass,  was  sharp.  One 
vote  was  passed  by  fifty-eight  to  fifty-seven ;  this  was 
reconsidered,  and  after  much  battling,  that  point,  seem- 
ingly smaller  than  much  else,  was  settled.  It  is  always 
thus    in    human    affairs,    transient   contests    are  the  fiercest. 

The  Aurora  Lodge  of  free  and  accepted  masons,  then 
located  here,  now  at  Fitchburg,  was  invited  to  lay  the 
corner  stone  according  to  immemorial  usage.  The  invi- 
tation was  accepted,  and  preparations  made  for  the  event, 
the  Lodge  suggesting  a  particular  day.(6)  The  suggestions 
of  the  Lodge  did  not  prevail.  No  doubt  many  were 
opposed  to  the  whole  matter  and  their  influence  carried 
the  point  for  selecting  the  10th  of  June,  as  the  day. 
LTpon    this    the    Masons    by    another    vote    in    May    asked 


14 

for  release  from  their  promise  and  declared  it  impossible 
to  prepare  properly  for  the  occasion  as  soon  as  that  day. 
Therefore  we  may  conclude  that  the  corner  stone  was  laid 
on  the  10th  of  June,  according  to  the  town's  decision, 
but  with  what,  if  any  ceremonies,   I  am  not  able  to  learn. 

The  day  of  raising  the  frame  was  a  memorable  one. 
It  was  in  the  pleasant  month  of  June.  Many  are  now 
living  who  vividly  recall  that  occasion.  Each  timber  was 
in  readiness  ;  selected  men  awaited  orders,  and  a  guarding 
rope  kept  back  the  crowd.  Capt.  Legate  was  there,  his 
sea-faring  skill  having  marked  him  as  the  one  to  direct 
the   affair. 

All  went  well.  Ropes  creaked  beneath  the  unusual 
burden  and  the  sound  of  the  hammer  resounded  contin- 
ually. Pails  of  grog  were  emptied  by  the  heated  work- 
men, for  in  those  days  liquor  was  all  too  freely  used. 
Everything  seemed  prosperous  until  on  the  second  day 
an  impending  disaster  hung  for  a  moment  over  the  work. 
Staunch  ropes,  pulled  by  strong  men,  were  elevating  the 
belfry  to  its  place.  Slowly  it  rose  to  an  upright  posi- 
tion ;  hundreds  of  eyes  were  on  it ;  gradually  it  reached 
the  position  destined  for  it  when  to  the  dismay  of  all  it 
sank  back  and  threatened  to  fall.  A  feeling  of  fear,  a 
sinking  at  the  heart  filled  all.  But  the  voice  of  Capt. 
Legate  was  heard.  "Bring  it  up  msn,  bring  it  up  to 
its  place  :"  and  that  man  who  had  used  the  trumpet  on 
many  a  stormy  deck,  spake  then,  and  the  belfry  rose 
airain    until    it  poised  its   base    firmly  on  the  colonnade.      A 


]:> 

cheer  went  up,  loud  and  long,  from  iho  spectators.  An 
eye  witness  informs  me  of  one  other  threatened  accident 
which  was  happily  averted.  John  C.  Kendall  was  on 
the  edge  of  the  belfry  after  it  had  been  raised,  pounding 
the  beams  into  better  places  with  his  sledge  hammer, 
when  he  struck  his  body  against  a  man,  Joel  Dresser, 
passing  behind,  and  losing  his  balance,  was  just  falling 
over  to  the  ground,  to  meet  a  sure  death,  when  the 
person  against  whom  he  struck  seized  his  clothing  and 
held  him.  It  was  a  narrow  escape.  Upon  being  urged 
to  go  down,  young  Kendall  declared  that  he  was  not 
frightened    and    should    stay  as    long   as    the    rest    stayed. 

The  contractor  for  this  edifice  was  Mr.  Cutting..  The 
Meeting-Houses  in  Templeton  and  Northborough  are  also 
testimonies  to  his  thorough  workmanship.  Enter  the 
upper  part  of  this  building  and  you  will  find  great  tim- 
bers and  sound  timbers ;  this  structure  is  strong  in  its 
half-century  age.  Mr.  Cutting  was  an  honest  contractor, 
which    is    more    than    we    can    say    of   many    in    this    day. 

During  1823,  before  the  building  was  completed,  Joel 
Crosby,  Esq.,  presented  the  town  with  a  bell  and  Capt. 
Barker  transported  it  free  of  charge  from  Boston,  which 
in  those  days  was  no  trivial  kindness.  This  pleasant 
bell  now  strikes  the  hours  for  us  daily,  and  calls  us  to 
our  Sunday  worship.  An  inscription  was  placed  upon  it 
acknowledging  the  giver,  and  he  was  asked  by  vote  of 
the  town  to  select,  whatever  pew  he  wished  in  the  new 
Meeting-House,     at    the    appraisal,     before     any     had     been 


16 

sold  at  auction.  This  Mr.  Crosby  did  and  took  pew 
number    4. 

Eight  thousand  dollars  were  assessed  on  the  pews, 
to  be  raised  by  their  sale.  The  day  of  their  disposal 
came  in  September,  1823.  Work  was  finished ;  it  was 
now  one  year  and  a  half  since  the  inaugural  digging  was 
commenced.  The  auctioneer  was  instructed  to  receive  no 
bids  for  a  pew  under  twenty-five  cents.  No  person 
should  purchase  more  than  one  pew  for  himself.  Brisk 
and  successful  was  the  sale.  Sixteen  hundred  dollars 
above  the  fixed  sum  was  realized.  At  the  conclusion 
only  one  pew,  number  16,  remained  unbought.  So  need- 
ful was  the  town  of  church  accommodations  that  in  Oc- 
tober of  the    same   year   additional    pews    were    made. 

And  now  approached  the  day  of  dedication.  The  Rev. 
Abel  Conant,  then  minister  of  the.  town,  was  requested 
to  preach  a  sermon  on  Sunday  afternoon,  October  12th, 
on  leaving  the  old  Meeting-IIouse,  and  one  on  Wednes- 
day afternoon  succeeding,  October  15th,  to  dedicate  the 
new    Meeting-House. 

Rev.  Mr.  Conant  followed  Mr.  Bascom.  He  was  a 
writer  of  excellent  sermons,  of  good  character,  but  not 
animated  in  the  pulpit.  I  myself  have  read  some  of  his 
discourses,  feeling  that  for  expression  and  graceful  style, 
they  compare  well  with  modern  ones.  To  him  also  the 
sports  of  the  wood  and  field  were  agreeable.  His  hand 
was  acquainted  with  the  gun,  and  his  pliant  rod  often 
landed  the  trout  upon  the  brook's  bank.  His  ordination 
and    installation    occurred    January   24th,    1821. (7) 


17 

The  dedication  day  was  pleasant.  A  throng  attended. 
It  was  of  universal  interest.  Each  sermon,  the  one  0:1 
leaving  the  old,  the  one  on  entering  the  new  Meeting- 
House,  was  afterwards  printed.  They  survive  in  many 
homes.  Appended  to  the  dedication  is  a  note  of  the 
services  written  by  one  present.  The  introductory  prayer 
was  made  by  Rev.  Mr.  Damon  of  Lunenburg,  the  dedi- 
catory prayer  by  Rev.  Dr.  Thayer  of  Lancaster,  the  con- 
cluding prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Osgood  of  Sterling.  Mr. 
Conant's  sermon  was  from  the  text,  "And  the  disciples 
were  culled  Christians  first  in  Antioch.'r  Acts  XI — 2(\. 
His  text  for  the  farewell  sermon  in  the  old  Meeting- 
House  on  the  common,  was  this;  "And  when  the  cloud 
was  taken  up  from  the  tabernacle,  then  after  that  the 
children  of  Israel  journeyed."  Numbers  IX — 17.  We 
can  imagine  the  bass  viol  sending  forth  its  most  sonor- 
oi;s  tones,  and  the  pitch  pipe  of  the  chorister  giving  the 
key.  Perhaps  the  bass  singer  was  there  who  hail  sung 
so  long  in  the  old  church.  Of  him  it  was  said,  so  good 
and  devout  a  man  was  he,  that  whenever  he  reached  a 
word  in  the  hymn  especially  pious,  he  hung  to  it  so  long 
that  he  made  discord.  It  was  said,  at  least  by  a  mem- 
ber present  at  the  time,  and  recorded,  that  several  pieces 
of  sacred  music  were  sung  in  a  style  which  did  credit 
to  the  choir  of  singers  in  Leominster.  The  wigs  of  the 
deacons  were  well  powdered  that  day ;  alert  were  the 
men  who  watched  for  noisy  boys,  and  the  maidens  had 
on   their   best   and    fairest   attire. 


IS 

It  was  a  solemn  time  also.  Out  of  the  old  sanctu- 
ary they  had  gone,  rich  in  memories,  dear  by  associations. 
The  novelty  of  the  new  could  not  obliterate  the  attach- 
ments to  the  old.  It  had  been  their  religious  home  for 
nearly  fifty  years ;  now  they  were  to  say  farewell  to  its 
walls  forever.  Change  was  to  seize  it,  and  the  place 
where    it   had    stood    should     know    its    presence    no    longer. 

Established  and  tit  rest  from  their  labors,  the  society 
now  entered  upon  the  enjoyment  of  their  unwonted  priv- 
ileges. In  April  of  the  next  year,  the  committee  made 
a  final  report,  submitting  all  the  summings-up  and  total 
results,  and  concluded  in  these  words:  "Your  committee 
knowing  that  the  erection  of  a  new  Meeting-House  was 
a  great'  undertaking,  but  considering  what  our  fathers 
have  done  for  us  and  the  benefit  it  would  be  to  the 
rising  generation  and  society,  they  proceeded,  and  by  the 
blessing  of  a  kind  Providence  prospered  in  the  work  of 
the  house  of  the  Lord.  The  liberality  of  great  numbers 
in  contributing  labor  in  wharfing  up  the  foundations  of 
the  Meeting -House,  the  union  that  prevailed  in  disposing 
of  the  seats,  the  prospect  of  the  flourishing  state  of  the 
society,  and  the  zeal  to  support  public  worship  afford 
your  committee  full  satisfaction  for  their  time  and  labor. 
Therefore  your  committee  do  not  charge  for  their  services." 

The  old  Meeting-House  was  appraised  by  disinterested 
parties  at  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars,  including 
foundations,  which  was  cheap  enough,  we  may  judge. 
It    was    taken    to    pieces    and  the   most  of   its  material    used 


19 

in  constructing  a  Town  House.  This  afterward  became 
Gardner  Hall,  and  served  for  school  wants  until  1869, 
when  it  was  burned  to  the  ground.  Nothing  now  remains 
of  that    structure. 

How  to  warm  this  house  seemed  to  perplex  the 
worthy  people.  In  1823  and  "4  committee  after  committee 
was  chosen,  and  every  one  resigned.  The  members  of 
one,  however,  consulted  and  reported  that  they  could  not 
decide  on  any  method.  There  must  have  been  a  strong 
admiration  at  that  time  for  religion  under  difficulties.  A 
native  of  this  town  has  related  to  me  his  experience  as 
a  boy,  of  carrying  a  large  box  of  coals  up  the  broad 
aisle  every  Sunday  morning  for  his  grandmother's  feet. 
How    he    dreaded    it,    and    felt    ashamed. 

I  find  that  in  1828  the  town  voted  to  rent  the  cellar 
beneath  the  audience  room,  and  curious  to  know  how 
much  of  an  income  this  transaction  furnished  the  society, 
I  discovered  the  following  entry:  "Received  of  Solon 
Cartel-,  Esq.,  for  rent  of  cellar  one  year,  $1,62  1-2!" 
Eight  years  after  the  erection  of  the  building,  examina- 
tion was  made  to  ascertain  the  cost  of  necessary  repairs. 
So  carefully  and  judiciously  had  the  occupants  treated  it, 
that  the  report  called  for  only  ten  dollars  to  cover  main 
expenses.  But  four  years  after  that  satisfactory  statement 
it  was  deemed  necessary  to  pass  a  town  vote  creating 
a  committee  to  watch  "idle  and  mischievous  boys  who 
were    defacing    and    destroying    the    public    buildings." 

The   years    rolled    by ;    the    town    grew.       That   part  of 


20 

the  Puritan's  plan  which  looked  to  the  identification  of 
Church  and  State  gave  way  in  Leominster,  having  grown 
weak  by  degrees  for  twenty  years.  The  act  which  set 
this  parish  apart  from  the  town,  and  gave  it  functions 
wholly  its  own,  occurred  on  the  fourth  of  May  1835. 
Only  one  of  the  petitioners  is  now  living  who  applied 
for  the  right  of  incorporation  ;  that  surviving  one  is  Ward 
M.    Cotton. <8> 

In  1837  several  important  events  transpired  affecting 
the  Meeting-House  and  its  people.  Rev.  Abel  Conant 
died  on  the  6th  of  December,  1830,  43  years  old.  To 
his  labors  succeeded  Rufus  P.  Stebbins,  then  fresh  from 
the  Divinity  School.  His  installation  was  observed  Sept. 
20th,  1837. (f,>  About  the  time  of  his  settlement  a  clock 
wras  placed  in  the  belfiy  of  the  Meeting-House,  a  hand- 
some pulpit  Bible  was  presented  by  Mr.  James  G.  Carter, 
and  a  clock  for  the  interior  was  set  up  in  front  of  the 
gallery,  a  gift  from  Mr.  Joseph  Woodward.  The  belfry 
clock,  upon  whose  dials  we  now  daily  look,  was  partly 
and  mostly  a  gift  by  the  will  of  the  late  Joel  Crosby, 
Esq.,  whose  generous  present  of  a  bell  had  preceded 
his    death. 

Changes  upon  the  pulpit  were  made  not  far  from 
this  time ;  the  circular  staircases  were  supplanted  by  di- 
rect ones.  An  additional  pew  was  thus  created  on  each 
side  of  the  stairs  jS'ot  without  interest  to  us,  who 
decorously  observe  the  service  of  Sunday,  is  the  record 
of    a    vote     by    the     parish     selecting     Mr.     Solon    Carter 9 


21 

Emory  Burrage  and  Gen.  A.  S.  Gibbs,  a  committee  to 
preserve  order  during  divine  worship.  It  is  noticeable 
that  two  of  those  gentlemen  sat  in  the  singers'  seats. 
In  1842  their  duties  must  have  increased,  for  three  more 
were  added,  but  in  1857  it  was  not  deemed  necessary 
to  have  but  three  and  they  were  appointed  to  watch  the 
galleries.  Blinds  were  deemed  advisable  for  the  win- 
dows, provided  they  could  he  put  on  without  any  cost 
to    the    parish. 

Piece  by  piece  the  parish  has  surrendered  the  ground 
which  once  stretched  out  so  generously  around  the  Meet- 
ing-House.  The  first  important  disposal  was  that  of  the 
ground  now  known  as  the  common ;  the  site  of  the  old 
Meeting-House.  In  November,  1841,  the  transfer  of  it 
was  made  for  six  hundred  dollars,  to  the  town,  under 
these  conditions :  That  it  shall  never  he  used  for  any 
other  purpose ;  never  have  buildings  placed  upon  it ;  the 
privilege  Mas  allowed  of  enclosing  it  with  a  slight  fence, 
if  deemed  advisable.  These  legal  stipulations,  now  on 
record,  will  settle,  I  hope,  the  future  of  this  small  piece 
of  green,  and  preserve  it  always  from  being  made  smaller, 
or   from    perverted    uses    by   any   parties. 

Many  years  before  the  sale  of  this  common  to  the 
town  an  important  point  of  law  was  decided  by  the  Su- 
preme Court,  affecting  parish  property.  This  test  ease 
occurred  in  182G,  being  the  first  parish  of  Medford  vs. 
Pratt.  (4th  Pickering,  page  222.  Rights  of  parishes 
to    succeed   towns    in    parochial  capacity.)        Town  meetings 


■>■> 


in  Leominster  had  been  excited  over  this  question  :  Did 
the  first  parish  own  the  land  which  the  town  held  before 
the  first  parish  was  created?  New  religious  societies  had 
sprung  up  and  they  naturally  contested  the  claim  of  the 
first  parish  to  this  property.  The  town  was  also  desir- 
ous to  prove  its  title  to  the  land,  since  it  was  iu  need 
of  some  for  public  buildings.  The  Supreme  Court  had 
decided  that  when  a  parish  succeeded  to  a  town  in  its 
parochial  capacity,  it  took  possession  of  all  lands  formerly 
held  in  trust  for  the  use  of  town  meeting-house  and  the 
worshipers  in  it.  This  was  of  great  significance.  It 
settled  the  main  question,  but  there  were  never  wanting 
persons  who  sought  to  question  the  decision  and  evade  it. 
When  the  disposal  of  the 'common,  and  ground  for  the 
town  house  and  engine  house  came  up,  a  hot  and  stir- 
rin£  debate  arose  over  the  adjustment  of  the  sale.  A 
committee  was  chosen  by  the  town,  consisting  of  one  from 
each  Trinitarian  society,  viz  :  James  Parker,  of  the  Evan- 
gelical society,  Setli  Coggswell,  of  the  Methodist,  and 
Micah  li.  Ball,  of  the  Baptist.  They  were  to  consult 
with  a  committee  from  the  first  Congregational  Society, 
composed  as  follows:  Solomon  Strong,  Charles  W.  Wilder, 
William  Perry.  As  a  result  of  the  consultation,  a  re- 
port was  rendered  to  the  town,  written  by  Judge  Strong, 
recommending  that  the  first  Parish  go  back  six  years 
before  the  death  of  Mr.  Chase  and  pay  the  interest  on 
two  thousand  dollars  for  that  time  ;  also,  pay  other  claims 
made    by  the  town,    making  in  all    one  hundred  and    ninety 


23 

two  dollars  and  thirty-eight  cents.  Sonic  claims  on  the 
part  of  the  first  parish  were  allowed,  and  the  result  was 
a  friendly  compromise  in  which  the  bitterness  of  contro- 
versy   was    buried. 

In  the  year  1844,  Mr.  Stebbins  brought  his  minis- 
try in  this  town  to  an  end  by  accepting  a  call  to  the 
charge  of  the  Meadville  Divinity  School.  Soon  succeed- 
ing him  came  Hiram  Withington,  whose  ordination  in 
this  house  took  place  December  25th,  1844. (10)  Welling- 
ton's memory  survives  among  this  people  as  the  memory 
of  something  musical  and  gentle  survives.  His  record 
was  that  of  a  brilliant,  loving  character,  whose  frail  body 
broke  before  strong  energies.  He  died  October  30th, 
1848,    having    retired    from    the    pulpit  some    time  previous. 

A  call  extended  to  the  Rev.  Amos  Smith  was  ac- 
cepted by  him,  and  his  installation  was  held  on  Sunday, 
November  2(5th,  1848. (11)  Soon  after  Mr.  Smith's  com- 
ing, measures  were  launched  to  effect  a  complete  remod- 
elling of  the  Meetiug-House.  Consequently,  on  April 
28th,  1849,  the  parish  decided  to  appropriate  forty-rive 
hundred,  dollars  towards  a  remodelling  of  the  edifice,  and 
chose  for  a  committee  to  superintend  the  work,  the  fol- 
lowing persons :  Augustus  Morse,  James  II.  Carter,  Abel 
Bowers,  J.  C.  Allen,  Ward  M.  Cotton.  Fifteen  hundred 
dollars  were  afterwards  added  to  the  original  sum  voted, 
making  the  whole  appropriation  six  thousand  dollars.  The 
work  of  modernizing  the  church  of  r23  was  successful. 
Changes    came    upon   it   more   radical    than    those    so    lately 


24 

introduced.  The  main  floor  was  raised,  a  large  vestry 
created,  the  pulpit  cut  down,  frescoing  introduced,  and 
the  pews  shorn  of  their  large  proportions.  Dr.  Stebbins 
was  invited  to  preach  a  discourse  appropriate  to  the  last 
day  of  worship  in  the  old  audience  room,  which  he  did. 
During  the  time  of  renovation,  this  society,  by  the  kind- 
ness of  the  Evangelical  society,  held  services  in  their 
Meeting-House.  At  last,  on  Thursday,  February  28th, 
1850,  the  improved  edifice  was  re-dedicated.  Mr.  Henry 
Allen  had  generously  presented  the  church  with  a  Com- 
munion table  and  two  chairs.  They  are  now  in  use. 
From  the  Ladies'  Benevolent  Association  was  received 
money    for   lamps    and    fixtures. 

A  few  years  after  the  re-dedication  a  new  organ  was 
purchased ;  so  well  made  was  it  that  even  now  the  tones 
and  compass  of  the  pipes  are  not  easily  excelled.  A 
piano  was  also  purchased  for  the  vestry.  Not  until  18">(> 
were  hand-rails  and  balustrades  placed  along  the  entrance 
steps.  In  that  year  Mr.  Smith  resigned  his  charge,  and 
on  Wednesday,  September  2d,  of  the  following  year, 
Stephen  Barker   was  ordained  and  installed  his  successor. (12) 

No  changes  in  the  house  of  worship  occurred  during 
Mr.  Barkers  pastorate.  Additional  pieces  of  land  the 
parish  had  sold  until  over  the  once  vacant  spots  a  Bap- 
tist Meeting-House  had  risen,  and  the  present  Town  Hall 
had  sprung  up.  Ever  enlarging  and  populating,  the 
centre  of  the  town  presented  altered  aspects  from  its  ap- 
pearance   in    1823. 


25 

Rev.  Mr.  Barker  severed  his  relations  with  the  soci- 
ety in  1860,  and  on  the  succeeding  year,  Wednesday, 
June    1st,    Rev.    Eli    Fay    was   settled  in   his   place. (1:i) 

I  find  no  records  which  refer  to  external  changes 
during  Mr.  Fay's  active  ministry.  The  Meeting-House 
remained  the  same.  In  the  year  18G4,  this  pastor  re- 
signed and  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Green,  whose 
installation  occurred  Wednesday,  August  3d,  of  that  year/14 

During  Mr,  Green's  service  an  elegant  chandelier  was 
procured  and  presented  to  the  society.  It  has  now  been 
displaced  by  the  different  methods  of  lighting  the  audi- 
ence   room. 

I  have  now  brought  you,  my  hearers,  down  to  18G7, 
when  Mr.  Green  ceased  his  service  here:  down  to  1868, 
when  your  present  pastor  came.  His  ordination  occurred 
Thursday,    October    1st,    of  that   year/153 

Concerning  the  changes  which  have  occurred  in  this 
Meeting-House  since  that  time,  I  must  speak,  in  order 
to  fulfil  my  task.  In  1870  an  important  step  was 
taken  by  building  the  present  Chapel,  which  now 
serves  so  well  the  wants  of  the  society. <16)  This  portion 
of  our  house  was  dedicated  December  1st,  1870,  Form- 
ing no  slight  addition  to  the  exterior  form  of  the  Meet- 
iug-House  it  has  proven  by  its  interior  arrangements  u 
very  great  improvement  on  the  usefulness  of  the  parish. 
A  piano  was  permanently  placed  in  the  parlor ;  your 
pastor's  study  was  generously  filled  with  furnishings,  gilts 
of  valuable    articles    were    placed    in    the    kitchen,   and    now 


26 

but  recently  given,  a  tine  array  of  pictures  decorate  the 
parlor  walls,  the  gift  of  a  former  resident  of  this  town. 
For    much    of  all   this    we    are    indebted  to    the    ladies. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year  it  was  deemed  best  to 
again  apply  the  hand  of  alteration  to  the  audience  room. 
For  three  months  we  worshiped  in  the  public  hall. 
With  skill  the  committee,  viz,  Isaac  Cowdrey,  C.  H. 
Merriam,  George  F.  Morse,  J.  G.  Tenney,  and  George 
E.  Tisdale,  superintended  the  work.  On  the  first  Sun- 
day in  August,  the  3d  of  the  month,  we  re-entered  with 
songs  and  praise,  our  old  home  freshened  and  beauti- 
fied.(1T)  On  that  day  the  services  were  conducted  by 
Eev.  E.  E.  Shippen.  These  changes  you  behold, — they 
are  before  you.  I  need  not  detail  their  extent  or  char- 
acter. Of  the  gifts  which  accompany  these  alterations  I 
would  mention  the  fine  Bibles  and  handsome  table,  con- 
tributed by  Stow  F.  Haws,  and  the  carpet  which  was 
from    the    ladies. 

With  as  much  mellowing  of  hard  facts  as  I  could 
achieve  I  have  led  you  over  that  part  of  your  history 
as  a  society  relating  to  the  Meeting-House.  I  have  re- 
ferred to  the  service  of  those  whose  voices  have  spoken 
to  this  people  in  the  sermon's  exhortation  or  the  prayer's 
entreaty.  (18) 

Here  I  pause.  More  than  full  is  my  allotted  space. 
If  to  me  there  is  a  fullness  at  heart,  and  a  quick  sense 
of  gratitude,  as  I  recount  the  signal  mercies  of  God  to 
this   people,    how    much   richer   must   be   the    emotion    per- 


vading  the  more  aired :  dwellers  for  half  a  century  in 
this  holy  place.  House  of  our  fathers,  we  love  thee  ! 
Altar  where  the  saintly  and  pure  have  prayed ;  where 
the  erring  and  sorrowful  have  found  peace, — let  no  ob- 
livion   dim    our   affection   for   thee ! 

When  time  shall  have  levelled  thy  roof,  or  the  hand 
of  change  smitten  thee,  O  rise,  beloved  house,  into  some 
new  and  fairer  form,  to  perpetuate  thy  blessings  unto 
future  generations,  and  bequeath  thy  dear  memory  to  the 
children's    children  ! 


29 


N  O  T  E  S 


(1)  The  exercises  commemorating  the  half  century  age  of  this  Meeting- 
House  occurred  Wednesday  evening,  Oct.  15th,  1*7.!.  A  social  hour  was 
spent  in  the  Chapel  rooms,  after  which,  at  7  l-i  o'clock  the  people  gathered 
in  the  audience  room  of  the  Meeting-House.  A  large  congregation  was  pres- 
ent. The  decorations  of  autumn  leaves  and  flowers  were  beautiful.  After 
an  anthem  by  the  choir,  selections  from  scripture  were  read  by  Rev.  E.J. 
Gerry,  of  Boston.  Prayer  was  then  offered  by  Rev.  Geo.  S.  Ball,  of  Upton. 
Following  these  devotional  services  came  the  historical  address  by  the  pastor, 

herewith  printed.  Solon  Carter  then  assumed  the  chair  and  called  on  the 
following  gentlemen  to  address  the  meeting:  Rev.  Augustus  Woodbury,  of 
Providence,  15.  I.,  Rev.  E.  J.  Gerry,  of  Boston.  Benjamin  .Johnson,  of  Woon- 
socket,  R.  I.,  Rev.  Geo.  S.  Ball,  of  Upton,  ami  Rev.  Seth  Chandler, of  Shir- 
ley. All  hut  the  first  and  last  speakers  were  natives  of  Leominster.  Their  re- 
marks were  appropriate  reminisences  of  early  days  spent  in  the  town,  with 
allusions  to  the  ancestors  and  influences  of  the  church.  Communications 
were  read  from  Rev.  Rufus  P.  Stebbins,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Eli  Fay,  and  Rev.  Amos 
Smith,  former  pastors  of  the  society,  and  from  Prof.  E.  J.  Young,  of  Cam- 
bridge, expressing  regrets  at  their  inability  to  he  present,  and  extending 
cordial  greetings.  The  exercises  closed  with  a  benediction  by  the  pastor. 
Messrs.  Solon  Carter,  J.  C.  Allen  and  C.  II.  Merriam  constituted  the  com- 
mittee under  whose  charge  this  semi-centennial  observance  was  conducted, 
and  all  its  arrangements  perfected. 

(2)  The  original  founders  of  this  church,  from  whose  compact  and  aim 
sprang  the  Meeting-House,  were  these:  John  Rogers,  Ebenezer  Policy,  James 
Boutcllc.  Thomas  Houghton,  Benj.  Whitcomb,  Thomas  Wilder,  Joseph 
Wheelock,  Nathaniel  Carter,  Jonathan  White,  Ephraim  Stone,  Daniel  John- 
son, Simon  Butler,  Oliver  Carter.  Thomas  White,  Phillips  Sweetzcr,  Gardner 
Wilder. 

(:3)  At  the  ordination  of  Rev.  John  Rogers,  Rev.  Thomas  Parker,  of  Dra- 
cut,  preached  the  sermon;  Rev.  Daniel  Rogers,  of  Littleton,  offered  the  or- 
daining prayer:  Rev.  John  Prentice,  of  Lancaster,  gave  the  charge,  and  Rev. 
W.  Hall,  of  Westford,  extended  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship. 

(4)  The  following  clergymen  participated  in  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Francis 
Gardner:  Rev.  Mr.  Smith,  of  Marlborough,  preached  the  sermon:  the  open- 
ing prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Mr.  Harrington,  of  Lancaster;  Rev.  -Mr. 
Gardner,  of  Stow,  gave  the  charge;  Rev.  Mr.  (hiss,  of  Bolton,  made  the  or- 
daining prayer  and  Rev.  Mr.  Swift,  of  Acton,  gave  the  Right  Hand  of 
Fellowship. 

II 


3U 


(o)  The  order  of  exercises  at  the  installation  of  Rev.  Win.  Bascom  was  as 
follows:  Rev.  James  Murdock,  of  Princeton,  preached  the  sermon;  Rev.  John 
Cushing,  of  Ashburnham,  gave  the  charge,  and  Rev.  T.  B.  Gannett,  of  Cam- 
bridgeport,  offered  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship.  The  ordaining  prayer, 
Rev.  Dr.  Abiel  Holmes,  of  Cambridgeport,  offered;  Rev.  Nathaniel  Thayer, 
of  Lancaster,  made  the  introductory  prayer,  and  the  concluding  one,  Rev. 
diaries  Wellington,  of  Temple  ton,  offered 

(G)  Evidently  the  Lodge  felt  highly  complimented  by  the  request,  if  we 
may  judge  from  the  tone  of  the  resolutions  passed  at  a  Lodge  meeting,  March 
11,  1822,  which  I  copy  from  their  records: 

Voted,  that  the  thanks  of  Aurora  Lodge  be  presented  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Leominster  for  the  honor  they  have  conferred  in  requesting  the  Lodge  to  take 
measures  to  lay  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  Meeting-House,  about  to  be  built 
in  this  town,  according  to  ancient  usages  in  such  cases. 

Voted,  that  the  Lodge,  with  pleasure,  do  themselves  the  honor  of  comply- 
ing with  the  request  of  the  town. 

Voted,  that  the  Lodge,  with  due  submission,  will  wait  for  the  town  to  ap- 
point the  time,  but  at  the  same  time  beg  leave  to  suggest  that  provided  it 
should  not  incommode  the  town  or  the  undertaking,  it  would  be  more  conve- 
nient for  the  Lodge  to  perform  the  exercises  on  the  24th  of  June  next." 

(7)  At  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Abel  Con  ant,  Rev.  Humphrey  Moore,  of 
Milford,  X.  II.,  preached  the  sermon;  Rev.  Dr.  Nathaniel  Thayer,  of  Lan- 
caster delivered  the  charge;  Rev.  Thomas  Bede,  of  Wilton,  N.  II.,  proffered 
the  Fellowship  of  the  churches,  while  to  Rev.  Reuben  Puffer,  D.  D.,  of  Ber- 
lin, fell  the  address  to  the  people. 

(8)  The  First  Congregational  Parish  and  Society,  of  Leominster,  was  or- 
ganized the  4th  day  of  May,  1835.  The  petition  for  the  right  to  hold  the 
meeting  was  signed  by  Ward  M.  Cotton,  Amos  Haws,  Thomas  Hills,  Thomas 
G.  Merriam,  Bartemas  Tenney,  William  Wilder.  Artemas  Bowers,  Silas  Al- 
len, William  Burrage,  David  Wilder,  John  Taylor,  Bazaleel  Lawrence, 
Charles  W.  Wilder. 

(9)  Exercises  at  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Rufus  P.  Stebbins.  Prof.  Henry 
Ware,  ^v.,  of  Cambridge,  preached  the  sermon;  Rev.  Isaac  Allen  offered  the 
ordaining  prayer;  Rev.  Nathaniel  Thayer,  I).  1)..  gave  the  charge;  Rev.  Cal- 
vin Lincoln  extended  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship;  Rev.  A.  R.  Muzzey  de- 
livered the  address.  The  opening  prayer  was  made  by  Rev.  Mr.  Osgood,  of 
Sterling,  and  Rev.  Joseph  Allen,  of  Nortbborough,  made  the  concluding 
prayer. 

(10)  At  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Hiram  Withiugton,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Hall, 
of  Dorchester,  gave  the  sermon;  Rev.  Ceo.  Putnam,  of  Roxbury,  the  charge; 
Rev.  .1.  II.  Allen,  of  Jamaica  Plain,  the  Hand  of  Fellowship.  Rev.  Joseph 
Allen,  of  Nortbborough,  addressed  the   people.     Other   parts   were   taken    by 


31 


Rev.  Messrs.  Calvin  Lincoln,  Alonzo  Hill,  Huntington,  E.  B.  Wilson,  R.  S. 
Edes  and  W.  Gilbert. 

(11)  The  sermon  at  the  installation  of  Rev.  Amos  Smith  was  preached  by 
Rev.  Ezra  F.  Gannett,  I).  D.  Rev.  Messrs.  Calvin  Lincoln,  E.  B.  Wilson, 
and  Dr.  Parkman  also  participated  in  the  services. 

(12)  The  principal  parts  at  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Stephen  Barker  were 

fdled  as  follows:    Rev.  II.  W.  Bellows,  D.   P.,  preached   the    sermon;   Rev.    P. 

Hinckley  gave  the  charge;  Rev.  E.  M.  Wheelock,  of  Dover,  X.  II.,  extended 
the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship;  Rev.  W.  P.  Tilden  addressed  tbe  people. 
Rev.  Messrs.  T.  T.  Stone,  James  Thurston.  W.  II.  Knapp  and  E.  M.  Bartol 
also  participated. 

(13)  At  the  installation  of  Rev.  Eli  Fay,  Rev.  Rufns  P.  Stebbins,  D.  D., 
then  of  Woburn,  preached  the  sermon.  The  installing  prayer  was  made  by 
Rev.  Alonzo  Dill,  D.  D.  Rev.  Horatio  Stebbins,  of  Portland,  gave  the  charge, 
and  Rev.  W.  P.  Tilden  tendered  the  Fellowship  of  the  churches.  Rev.  R.  R. 
Shippen  addressed  the  society. 

(14)  Rev.  J.  B.  Green's  installation  was  conducted  by  the  following  cler- 
gymen: Rev.  Geo.  Putnam,  of  Roxbury,  preached  the  sermon;  Rev.  Stillman 
Barber  extended  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship,  and  the  charge  was  given  by 
Rev.  Joseph  Allen,  D.  D.  Rev.  Alonzo  Dill,  D.  D.,  made  tbe  installing 
prayer,  while  the  address  to  the  people  was  made  by  Rev.  Geo.  S.  Ball.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Shippen,  Bartol  and  Brown,  also  assisted. 

(15)  The  ordination  of  E.  A.  Horton  was  participated  in  by  the  following 
clergymen:  Rev.  James  Freeman  Clarke.  I).  D.,  preached  the  sermon.  Rev. 
W.  S.  Heywood  gave  the  charge;  Rev.  C.  Nightingale, addressed  the  people; 
Rev.  G.  H.  Young  extended  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship  and  Rev.  Joseph 
Allen,  D.  D.,  made  the  ordaining  prayer.  Rev  Messrs  Nickerson  and 
Browne  took  parts. 

(16)  The  committee  <>n  building  the  Chapel  were  J.  II.  Lockey,  and 
Howard  M.  Lane. 

(17)  These  changes  were  quite  significant.  The  choir  seats  were  trans- 
ferred to  a  recess  behind  the  pulpit;  one  hundred  new  seats  were  thus  secured, 
making  in  all  nearly  900  sittings.  Gas  was  introduced,  new  frescoing  entirely 
made,  the  old  carpet  displaced  by  a  new  one,  a  modern  platform  and  desk 
substituted  for  the  former  pulpit,  and  the  steep  entrance  steps  altered  to  an 
easy  and  gradual  ascent.  These  and  other  alterations  were  made  at  a  cost 
of  about  SG000. 

(18)  For  reference,  I  have  placed  the  list  of  pastorates  of  this  society, — 
the  majority  of  which  were  Bince  the  erection  of  this  structure,  in  one  table. 
Eleven  pastors  lias  this  society  had,  including  the  present  one. 

John    Rogers    was    pastor    15    years,    from    1713  to  1758. 
Francis  Gardner,  52  years;  from  1762  to  1814. 


32 


Wm.  Bascpm,  5  years;  from  1815  to  1820. 
Abel  Conant,  15  years;  from  1820  to  183G. 
Rufus  P.  Stebbins,  7  years;  from  1837  to  1843. 
Hiram  Withington,  4  years;  from  1844  to  1848. 
•—  Amos  Smith,  8  years;  from  1848  to  1856. 
Stephen  Barker,  3  years;  from  1857  to  18C0. 
Eli  Fay,  3  years;  from  1861  to  1864. 
J.  B.  Green,  3  years;  1864  to  1867. 

(A)  Possibly  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  state  the  dates  of  the  dedica- 
tion of  all  other  Meeting-houses  in  this  town. 

The  Evangelical  Society  dedicated  its  first  house  of  worship  in  1824.  It 
was  that  building  now  occupied  by  the  Catholics.  Their  second  one  was  ded- 
icated February  8th,  1837,  and  their  third,  being  the  present  one,  standing 
where  the  second  one  did,  was  consecrated  this  year,  August  15. 

The  Baptist  society  dedicated  its  first  house  in  June,  1832.  It  was  located 
on  the  North  Village  road  between  the  two  villages,  and  Avas  at  one  time  oc- 
cupied by  the  Catholics.  On  June  2d,  1850,  this  people  dedicated  a  new  one 
which  is  their  present  house  of  worship,  built  on  land  purchased  of  this  parish, 

The  first  Meeting-house  occupied  by  the  Methodists  was  placed  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Shirley  and  Harvard  roads,  in  the  North  Village,  dedicated  1829. 
They  afterwards  bought  the  Evangelical  Society's  house  of  worship,  on  Main 
Street,  and  used  it  for  the  first  time  in  January,  1839.  Their  present  edifice 
was  dedicated  in  1873. 

The  Catholics  having  occupied  the  former  Baptist  house  at  infrequent  times, 
finally  sold  it  and  purchased  the  Methodist  Mecting-IIouse  in  1871,  which 
they  now  occupy.  That  building  has  thus  been  tenanted  by  three  different 
denominations. 

(B)  Appended  is  a  list  of  the  Superintendents  of  our  S.  School,  since  its 
organization  in  1838: 

Solon  Carter  served  from  1838  to  1850;  Luke  Lincoln  from   1850  to  1855; 

Abel  C.  AVilder,   from    1855   to   1865;    Porter   M.    Kimball,    1865    to  1866; 

Chauncy  W.  Carter,  1866  to  1868;  Frank  C.  Bowen  was  elected   April  ICtli, 
1868,  and  now  serves. 

(C)  For  many  valuable  facts  and  statistics  relating  to  the  church,  the  early 
inhabitants,  and  past  ecclesiastical  transactions  in  Leominster,  the  reader 
may  profitably  consult  David  Wilder's  History  of  the  Town,  Dr.  Stebbins' 
Centennial  Discourse  on  the  organization  of  the  First  Congregational  Church, 
and  sonic  pamphlets  and  papers  deposited  in  the  Museum  archives;  an  insti- 
tution as  yet  young  and  scant  in  materials,  but  destined,  I  hope,  to  be  the  re- 
pository of  much  local  historical  matter.  There  is  a  great  need,  already,  of 
a  well  written  history  of  Leominster.  By  a  little  care  now,  in  saving  the  ma- 
terial, some  t'ui ure  writer  will  lie  able  to  prepare  his  work  from  satisfactory 
data. 


PHOTOMOUNT 
[PAMPHLET  BINDER 

Mortal octur*d  by 

IGAYLORD  BROS.  Inc. 

Syrocusa,  N.Y. 

Stockton,  Calif. 

■  ■IF  — ■    I 


BX9834 .L5F5  H8 

An  historical  address,  commemorating  the 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


